Old Timey hymns? Anyone do them anymore?

faroukfarouk said:

Sounds like you're quite a musician!

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Not really lol...never had a chance to learn any instrument properly, but I do like different types of music and instruments, but do not have time now to practise really or anything...have 9 grandkids for one thing, just always seems to be one thing after another that my husband and I get bogged down with re family etc. Plus I have my 90 year old dad to worry about...my mum died four years ago, so he lives alone, and I live the closest if he needs any help or were to become ill or anything.

tansy said:

Not really lol...never had a chance to learn any instrument properly, but I do like different types of music and instruments, but do not have time now to practise really or anything...have 9 grandkids for one thing, just always seems to be one thing after another that my husband and I get bogged down with re family etc. Plus I have my 90 year old dad to worry about...my mum died four years ago, so he lives alone, and I live the closest if he needs any help or were to become ill or anything.

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You have plenty to think about! God bless your family. I guess that family memories of good times past can often revolve around singing Christian hymns and songs.

faroukfarouk said:

You have plenty to think about! God bless your family. I guess that family memories of good times past can often revolve around singing Christian hymns and songs.

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Thank you

smalltowngirl86 said:

The Methodist church I was raised in does and the Baptist church my grandma goes to does too.

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Some of the old hymns are timeless, and enduring, right?

Missionary Baptist churches, Southern Baptist churches, Independent Baptist Churches, maybe the Church of Christ, some of the old Methodist and some of the Free Methodist Churches still sing the "old" (say from Watts to the 1930s) style of hymns. I don't know about the Orthodox Presbyterian church or the Church of the Nazarene, but these might, too. You'll probably tend to find these "traditional" hymns still sung in the older, smaller churches with older congregations than in the new "hip" churches. Our church (Missionary Baptist) sings from Heavenly Highway Hymns which has hymns as late as the mid-20th century, but some hymnals are mostly 19th century.

Steve L said:

Hi all, I am just curious if there are any churches or denominations that don't go the rock band route. Was looking for a more traditional, old timey hymn then teaching type of thing. Not so much the drums and guitar and the hand waving kind of thing. Thanks.

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Hi Steve
I feel your pain! I'm also looking for a church like you described. I haven't been to a church in 25 years, and my first sampling left me feeling like I came out of a time warp. Seems that too many of them are more interested in a "good-time rock 'n' roll" show than a worship service.

Here's one example. When I walked in to the main lobby, it felt and sounded like a rock concert -- with loud, thundering music that was intimidating. I could "feel" the bass guitar as much as I could hear it, even from the lobby. In the worship room, there was a band on a large stage using many over-amplified instruments. No traditional hymns, no hymn books, just insipid, repetitive lyrics that were displayed on the stage wall.

That went on for a painful 20 minutes, then I walked out. The good side was they have their own version of Starbucks in the lobby. So I got a beverage and found a quiet spot to relax until the thunder-music and light show stopped.

So far I've visited three churches like this. There are many more out there. The only church I really liked for "old-timey" atmosphere was the local Salvation Army Temple. They had a great brass band. The ushers and several of the attendees were dressed in their SA uniforms, very elegant! Only problem with the SA temple is that it's not a full-blown church. SA is a para-church organization, they don't do baptisms or hold communions.

GregSG said:

Hi Steve
I feel your pain! I'm also looking for a church like you described. I haven't been to a church in 25 years, and my first sampling left me feeling like I came out of a time warp. Seems that too many of them are more interested in a "good-time rock 'n' roll" show than a worship service.

Here's one example. When I walked in to the main lobby, it felt and sounded like a rock concert -- with loud, thundering music that was intimidating. I could "feel" the bass guitar as much as I could hear it, even from the lobby. In the worship room, there was a band on a large stage using many over-amplified instruments. No traditional hymns, no hymn books, just insipid, repetitive lyrics that were displayed on the stage wall.

That went on for a painful 20 minutes, then I walked out. The good side was they have their own version of Starbucks in the lobby. So I got a beverage and found a quiet spot to relax until the thunder-music and light show stopped.

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It hurts my ears just to read what you wrote. We had just a pipe organ, a violin, a choir, and the congregation. Most of the songs were singable. Oh, and a hymnbook for everyone.

Good article on what we're talking about:

https://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/kill-your-megachurch-worship/

GregSG said:

So far I've visited three churches like this. There are many more out there. The only church I really liked for "old-timey" atmosphere was the local Salvation Army Temple. They had a great brass band. The ushers and several of the attendees were dressed in their SA uniforms, very elegant! Only problem with the SA temple is that it's not a full-blown church. SA is a para-church organization, they don't do baptisms or hold communions.

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As I understand it, the Salvation Army is, in fact, a church, even though, like the Quakers, they do not practice baptism or communion. If you like them, you might continue attending.

I agree with your feelings about the rock concert, though. I like rock music -- I have some on my iPod, and it's great to listen to while doing housework or working out at the gym -- but it doesn't draw me close to God. Other kinds of music -- chants, the best hymns, some choir music by the likes of Bach and Vivaldi and Palestrina -- these bring me into a sacred encounter with the divine. I suppose people differ, and people encounter God in different ways, but for me, I don't see the point of rock music in church.

I think the liturgical churches are mostly managing to resist the rock-concert approach to worship. You might consider including a Lutheran, Episcopal, Catholic, or Orthodox church in your church visits.

PloverWing said:

As I understand it, the Salvation Army is, in fact, a church, even though, like the Quakers, they do not practice baptism or communion. If you like them, you might continue attending.

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I thought I had read in Wikipedia that they were only a para-church, but when I went back and looked at it again, it doesn't say that. It says that they ARE a church, Protestant Christian, derived from Methodists. I stand corrected.

I agree with your feelings about the rock concert, though. I like rock music -- I have some on my iPod, and it's great to listen to while doing housework or working out at the gym -- but it doesn't draw me close to God. Other kinds of music -- chants, the best hymns, some choir music by the likes of Bach and Vivaldi and Palestrina -- these bring me into a sacred encounter with the divine. I suppose people differ, and people encounter God in different ways, but for me, I don't see the point of rock music in church.

I think the liturgical churches are mostly managing to resist the rock-concert approach to worship. You might consider including a Lutheran, Episcopal, Catholic, or Orthodox church in your church visits.

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My search isn't just about music. Doctrinal beliefs come first, atmosphere second. If I had to, I could work around the rock-concert types by simply skipping the first 30 minutes and do like I did before, just find a relatively quiet spot until the vibrations stop, but I don't think I need to resort to that, plenty of churches around.

In my experience if you want old hymnal music you can either go to one of the liturgical churches (Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and some Anglican/Episcopal), or go to a more traditionalist evangelical church like a Baptist church.

Steve L said:

Hi all, I am just curious if there are any churches or denominations that don't go the rock band route. Was looking for a more traditional, old timey hymn then teaching type of thing. Not so much the drums and guitar and the hand waving kind of thing. Thanks.

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Your independent Baptist churches generally oppose CCM (and many also oppose Southern Gospel as well). Plus they don't do anything that may resemble what you would see in a Pentecostal/Charismatic church.

Our congregation doesn't do the rock band and praise music thing. There are still some out there that don't do that, but we are a minority.

Some of our hymns are very modern though, but they are written more in the style of sacred music.